Signaling increasing tension and distrust in the party, no one was allowed to bring mobile phones to the All Island Executive Committee meeting of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, held at Apey Gama, in Battaramulla, last evening.

With the official announcement of the meeting, an SMS was circulated among all participating instructing them not to bring mobile phones to the meeting, under any circumstances.

President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the party Chairman, presided over the meeting and he said there were many "trump cards" up his sleeve promising to use them at the right time.

The meeting took place amid fears that several MPs of the SLFP will step down from their ministerial positions and pledge support to Ranil Wickremesinghe in the floor vote in Parliament on November 14.

A party spokesman said the objective of the meeting was to explain the current political situation and the party's official position to the island-wide activists of the party.